Auburn's Rich Traditions: Rolling the Trees at Toomer's Corner

AUBURN - At the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and College Street in Auburn, people refer to it as Toomer's Corner. It's one of the most popular spots to go for students when something good is going on with Auburn. Students say it's the happiest place on earth.

"Everyone is there with their kids and grandparents. Even last week, I saw a family take their family Christmas card at Toomer's," Mary Rief said.

"When you live in a small town, you don't really get that big city feel, but that's exactly what you get when you're at Toomers," C.J. Clemons said.

One of the big traditions at Toomer's Corner is the rolling of the trees. Started in 1971, people woudl roll toilet paper all over the trees at Toomer's Corner, signifying an Auburn victory on the road. However, the rolling of the toilet paper occurs anytime something good is happening that concerns Auburn.

"It's just a madhouse, everyone's having a good time," Taylor Dawson, an Auburn student said, "And you meet so many new people. I would say I've met five people that I see around campus all the time now and that's from just meeting at Toomer's. People just get along and for just throwing a couple rolls of toilet paper up against the big trees, well what used to be the big trees."

Toomer's Corner up until 2011 featured two large oak trees that were the symbols of the iconic location, but that year somebody poisoned the trees, sending them on their final call, until they were taken down in January of 2013. There are still stumps with signs that say where they once hang.

"You may kill our trees, but you can never kill our traditions," Dawson said.

To make up for the loss of the two giant oak trees, phone wires hang now across the interesection to try and create a temporary replacement.